Structure for reciprocating rotatable cutters



Dec. 20, 1955 L. F. SAYLES 2,727,571

STRUCTURE FOR RECIPROCATING ROTATABLE CUTTERS Filed Oct. 23, 1952 90 7692 m 42 M M l; a7 66 l i 22 96 9 ;H|Jml w 72 055M 96 4g 4- is; 42 0INVENTOR.

w 25 l I Lou/.5 E fqy/fi 7 lip: W BY ATTOR'N United States Patent r2,727,571 STRUCTURE FOR RECIPROCATING ROTATABLE CUTTERS Louis F. Sayles,St. Joseph, M0. Application October 23, 1952, Serial No. 316,461 1Claim. (Cl. 164-74) This invention relates to the cutting of fabrics andlike materials for producing clothing and other articles, the primaryobject being to provide a novel cutter assembly in the nature of arotatable knife, there being included improved mechanism for impartingreciprocable movement to the knife as it rotates.

It is the most important object of the present invention to provide areciprocable cutterhead that is guided along a rectilinear path oftravel and actuated through the medium of a continuous chain operablycoupled with the cutterhead so that the movement of the latter issmooth, particularly at each end of the continuous chain.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of acutterhead that is mounted on, and operably connected with a rack forreciprocation therealong and for rotation of a cutter disc on the headincident to the connection with the rack, there being a reciprocableroller carried by the head and operably connected to a continuousactuating chain therefor.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of structure for reciprocatingrotatable cutters made pursuant to the pres ent invention, with thecovering apron entirely removed.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view taken on line II-II of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line IIIIII ofFig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a detailed, cross-sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig.3.

The supporting frame of the structure shown in the drawing includes apair of spaced-apart, upright, parallel bars and 12 that are normallycoupled with a cloth spreading machine (not shown) or other apparatusthrough the medium of parallel linkage 14. Such cloth spreading machineis normally mounted on rollers for reciprocation along an elongatedtable and accordingly, the bars 10 and 12 may likewise be provided withsuch means for rendering the same mobile if desired. Additionally,suitable guide and reinforcing means not herein shown in addition to thelinkage 14, may be provided for supporting the bars 10 and 12. Each bar10-12 is provided with an elongated, vertical slot 16 for guidingvertically reciprocable L-shaped plates 18 and 20, disposed between thebars 10 and 12 and interconnected by an elongated rack 22 and a guiderod 24 spaced thereabove.

Rack 22 is provided with teeth 26 along its innermost face for reasonshereinafter to be made clear. The plates 18 and 20 are raised andlowered to in turn adjust the height of a rotatable cutter disc 28 by aWindlass drum 30 rotatably carried by the bars 10 and 12. A cable 32 foreach plate 18 and 20 respectively, is coiled about the drum 30 and apawl 34 on bar 10 cooperates with a ratchet wheel 36 on one end of drum30 to releasably hold the disc 28 in an adjusted position.

Cutter disc 28 is carried by a vertical shaft 38 that is in turn mountedwithin a head 40 reciprocable along the rack 22. Shaft 38 has a pinion42 thereon within the head 40 meshing with the teeth 26. It is thus seenthat reciprocable movement of the head 40 along the rack 22 rotates thecutter disc 28. Head 40 is further guided and held against rotationrelative to 44 slidable on the rod 24 and receiving a U-shaped plate 46on the head 40.

An inwardly extending bracket 48 on the plate 20 behind the rack 22 androd 24 carries an electric motor 50 provided with a pinion 52 on itsdrive shaft. A gear 54 and a sprocket wheel 56 are rigid to a stub shaft58 rotatably carried by the bracket 48, gear 54 being in mesh withpinion 52. A pair of inwardly extending bolts 60 on the plate 18 behindrack 22 and rod 24, slidably carry a bearing 62 and springs 64 foryieidably holding the bearing 62 biased toward the plates 18. Bearing 62receives a shaft 66 for a second sprocket wheel 68 and acontinuous chain70 is trained around the sprocket wheels 56 and 68. Thus springs 64maintain the chain 70 taut at all times.

As shown in Fig. 4, head 40 has a pair of spacedapart strips 72 thereonpresenting a vertical guide track 74 therebetween for receiving areciprocable roller 76 on one of the links of the chain 70. As the motor50 is energized to operate the chain 70, rollers 76 will reciprocate thehead 40 along the guides 22 and 24 and by virtue of the free verticalreciprocation of the roller 76 and the guide track 74, such roller '76will advance around the sprocket wheels 56 and 63 without interferencewith the smooth, rectilinear movement of the head 40.

An upstanding stud 78 on the head 40 receives a latch 80 when the head40 is adjacent the plate 18, latch 80 being in the nature of a bellcrank pivotally carried by the plate 18 as at 82. A spring-loaded,manual release plunger 84 reciprocable in the plate 18 has pivotalconnection with the latch 80 by a pin 86.

The electric circuit for motor 50 has a starting switch 87, togetherwith a limit switch 38 mounted on the plate 18. Its actuator arm has aroller that is contacted by an elongated plate 92 when the head 40 movesto the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Plates 18 and 20 carry anelongated apron 94 above and forwardly of the reciprocable path oftravel of head 49 and terminating above disc 28 as shown in Fig. 3.Bolts 96 not only mount the apron 94 but secure a bar 98 on each plate18 and 20 respectively, one only being illustrated in Fig. 3. Bars 98 inturn receive a guard 100 having a clearance channel 102 for the cutterdisc 28.

Cloth sheet 164 passes over a feeding roller 106 and thence downwardlyas shown in Fig. 3 between apron 94 and guard 100 within the path oftravel of the reciprocable rotating disc 28 and is, therefore, cut asthe disc 28 moves toward the plate 20 after closing of switch 87. Disc28 thereupon returns to the stand-by position shown in Figs. 1 and 2where switch 88 is actuated and the circuit through motor 50 opened.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

In a cloth cutter, a frame including a pair of spaced, parallel, uprightbars; a support assembly on each bar respectively and mounted thereonfor vertical reciprocation; windlass means mounted on the bars above thesupports and operably coupled with the latter for controlling theposition of vertical reciprocation of same; an elongated rack extendinghorizontally between the supports and interconnecting the latter; anelongated guide extending between the supports in longitudinalparallelism with the rack and interconnecting the supports; a sprocketrotatably mounted on each support respectively; an endless chain trainedover the sprockets; an electric motor mounted on a support and operablycoupled with one of the sprockets for rotating the latter to drive thechain in one direction when the motor is energized; a power circuit forsaid motor; a manual starting switch coupled with said circuit forclosing the latter to energize the motor; a limit switch mounted on onesupport and coupled with said circuit for automatically opening thelatter to deenergize the motor when said limit switch is operated; ahead slidably mounted on said guide and said rack for horizontalreciprocation therealong between the supports, said head being adaptedto engage and operate said limit switch at one end of its path oftravel; structure presenting an elongated track on the head having itslongitudinal axis perpendicular to the path of travel of the head; aroller rotatably mounted on the chain and extending into said track onthe head for reciprocating the latter from a position adjacent said oneto a position adjacent the other support thence back to, said first.mentioned position as the chain is moved in said one direction; a shaftrotatably carried by the head;

a cutter disc on the shaft for rotation therewith; arid a pinion on theshaft in ope for drivingly' rotating the References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ruggles Aug. 30, Sparks Sept. 25, Swanetal. Mar. 5, Heil Feb. 11, Castricum et al. Oct. 8, Barrett Oct. 15,Alexander et al. Nov. 22,- Mason Aug. 29, Moore Jan. 8, Bolling Mar. 6,

rative engagement with the rack disc as tli Head is feipfodafd.

